Telephone cabinet



June 28, 1932.

.2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June l5 A Snvento OJ Inder (Ittorneg June 28, 1932.

O. J. LINDER.

TELEPHONE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 13. 1951 Bg 0.1.Linde11 Gtorneg Patented June 28, 1932 l PATENT OFFICE OSCAR J'. LINDER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA TELEPHONE CABINET Application filed .Tune 13, 1931. Serial No. 544,069.

The present invention relates to a telephone cabinet, and more particularly to a cabinet adapted to be recessed in a wall or other suitable support for housing a telephone stand 6 and its accessories, such as the bell-box, a

telephone directory, and the like. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of this type with a closure adapted to be swung downwardly and outwardly into open position to provide a ledge, a leaf or a desk upon which a telephone directory may be placed for easy access and which may also be used for supporting writing material for making notes incident to a telephone conversation.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a cabinet for a telephone with structural features for supporting an electric light and a switch therefor, in convenient position so that when desired the light may be operated to shed light rays over the desk portion and telephone, when in use, and to equip the cabinet with a light diusion panel to pre` vent glare of the light. on the face of the' operator. p

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be -more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein-.like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views. k

Figure`1 is a front elevation of a cabinet -constructed according to the present invention and seated in a wall, a portion ofthe lat'- ter being shown.

Figure 2 is a prospective view of the cabinet removed from the wall.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the cabinet with the closure thereof in open position to provide aV desk, parts of the cabinet being shown in section with the illuminating features therein.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged, of the mountingv for the electric light. Y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken through the lower portion ofthe cabinet in open position.-

.shelf 15. 12 and 5, extends across the interior of the cab- Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary inner face view of one side of the cabinet showing the spring mounting or the leaf supporting brace.

Figure 7 is a detail enlarged sectional view of the inner end of the brace with its adjacent parts, and

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view partly in section of the top of the cabinet, showing the light diffusing panel therein.

Referring now to the drawings, l0 designates a wall of any suitable construction and in which is seated the telephone cabinetrof this invention, the cabinet adapted to be recessed in the wall and substantially iush With the outer surface thereof.

'l`he cabinet comprises a substantially vertical frame-like structure having hollow sides 11, with a bottom 12 joining the lower ends of the sides. The sides 11 are provided with upwardly and inwardly inclined top portions 13 which supportat their upper ends the top 14 of the cabinet.

Intermediate the top and bottom of the cabinet is `disposed a horizontal telephone The shelf 15, as best shown in Figs.

inet between the sides 11 and at its rear edge abuts the back 16 of the cabinet, the back being formed of one or more panels, or the like, to close in the rear portions of the structure. The shelf 15 extends outwardly beyond the plane of the sides 11 and across the forward edges thereof, and is preferably extended outwardly at its intermediate portion to provide a relatively deep shelf 15 upon which a telephone stand 17 may be moved into and out of position for use. l y

The back 16 may be used as a support for a telephone bell box 18, and the latter is preferably located in the lower compartment of the lcabinet beneath the shelf 15. This lower portion of `the cabinet may be enclosed by means of a decorative panel 19, as shown in Fig. 3. The panel -19 preferably has one or more openings 2Q which mybe covered by a. iexible screen material which will not materially mule the sound of the telephone bells in the box 18. The sound of the telephone bell may pass from the cabinet and exteriorly thereof in instances when the shelf 23 is closed through the s ace provided for'that purpose adjacent the inged edge of the cabinet and between the hinges 38 thereof. Also the said sound is adapted to exude from the cabinet in alinement with the side walls of the shelf 23 in that the latter when in a folded position does not lie within the plane of the front wall of the cabinet and cut-away portions are provided upon the shelf for this purpose. The panel 19 may be spaced at one lateral edge from the adjacent side 11 to provide a vertical slot 21 in whichl a brace may freely operate, as will hereinafter appear.

To the forward edge of the bottom 12 is hingedly connected a door or closure for the lower compartment of the cabinet and which may swing down into substantially horizontal position to provide a shelf, a leaf, or a desk, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The closure comprises spaced panels or boards 22 and 23 heldapart by end spacing strips 24 and 25 located between the panels 22 and 23 at the inner and outer edges thereof. Betweenthe panels 22 and 23 is provided a storage space or` com artment 26 adapted to receive a telephone (Erectory, writing materials, or the like for convenient access to the user of the telephone.

The closure is provided at one side with a bracket arm 27 to which is pivoted on a pin 28, one end of a lower brace arm 29. The arm 29 is connected by a pivot 30 to an upper arm 31 which extends into the lower compartment of the cabinet, through the slot 21 when the panel 19 is used, and is' connected to the inner face of the adjacent side 11 of the cabinet. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the upper arm 31 of the brace is pivotally mounted upon the outer end of a pivot pin 32 which extends through a Vslot 33 having a general outward and downward direction in the face plate 34 which is secured by screws, or the like, to the inner face of the side 11. The pin 32 carries upon its inner end portion a stud 35 `which extends at right angles to the pin 32 and projects into one end of a compressible spring 36. The spring 36'is seated in aforwardly and downwardly inclined recess or pocket 37 which is formed in the inner wall of the side 11 and engagesy at itsv free end against the bottom of the pocket 37 so as to normally urge the stud 35 with the pin 32 toward the panel or opposite end of the pocket. This is particularly shown in Fig. 6. The inner spacing strip 35 comprises a hinge stile and is secured to the outer portions of a pair of hinges 38. The inner portions of the hinges 38 are secured to the bottom 12 so as to hingedly connect the inner end of the closure to the bottom 12. The

brace is adapted to break downwardlyand g swing' 'into the lower compartment of the cabinet as'the closure isr'aise'd into position beneath the shelf 1,5. A socket plate 39 may.

be mounted upon the outer spacing strip 24 for receiving the yieldable latch 40 mounted in the under side of the shelf 15 in position to register with the. socket plate 39 when the closure is in fully raised position. A knob 41 is mounted on the outer side of the outer panel 22 to facilitate the swinging of the closure into open and closed positions.

The means for illuminating the shelf 15 and the desk portion .when the latteris open, comprises an electric lamp 42 which is mounted in a reflector casing 43 seated in the top 14 of the cabinet, the casing 43 opening downwardly within the cabinet. The top 14 is provided with a supporting frame 44 at the lower edge of the casing 43 to support the latter and the frame is rabbeted to receive a translucent panel 45 of ground glass or other suitable material and which is held removably to the frame 44 by a stop strip 46 secured by screws 47, or the like, to the vertical portion of the frame 44. The lamp 42 Amay be illuminated from any suitable source of current supply', such as a house current, or a battery 48, shown .in Figs. 3 and 6, connected by wires 49 to the lamp 42 and also to a controlling switch- 50 which is seated in the inner face of the side 11 of the cabinet. preferably in the upper compartment thereof.

I'n use, when it is desired to employ the telephone 17 the switch 50 may be operated to illuminate the lamp 42 and the telephone 17 may be drawn forwardly on the shelf 15 out of the upper compartment of the cabinet. If it is desired to use the desk port-ion of the cabinet it is only necessary to swing the closure downward and the brace will be opened into the position shown in Fig. 2. When the closure is swung down into its lower position, the upper pivot of the brace 32 may move in the slot 33 against the tension of the spring 36 and thus absorb any shock impressed upon the closure or desk portion as it is swung into open position. This will prevent damage to the brace and also shock and vibration to the cabinet and the wall should the desk portion be permitted to drop. particularly when the closure is weighted by a telephone directory or other articles placed in the compartment 26.

It is apparent that when the lamp 42 is illuminated the rays of light therefrom pass downwardly through the panel 45 and incident to the character of the panel the light rays are prevented from direct projection upon the face of theoperator so that there will be practically noglar'e from the source of light.

It will be readily understood from Figs. 2 andv 5 that the compartment 26 in the door or closureopens through one edge thereof and that said'edge is uncovered in both open and closed positions of thedoor so that access may. be freely had to the contents ofthe comios partment 26 when the closure is either raised or lowered.

I do not wish to be restricted to the size, form, and proportions of the various parts, and obviously changes could be made in the construction herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention, it being on y necessary that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A telephone cabinet comprising an upright frame adapted to be recessed in a wall, a ly in the frame for supporting the telephone, a door pivotally mounted at its lower rear edge to the forward lower edge of said frame and adapted to be swung upwardly against the front of the frame beneath the shelf, said door having a compartment therein opening through one edge of the door whereby access to said compartment may be had in both the open and closed positions of the door, and means for supporting the door when in open position.

2. A telephone cabinet comprising an upright body portion openat its front and adapted to be recessed in a wall, a horizontal partition mounted in the body portion in spaced relation to the upper end thereof to provide upper and lower compartments and to support a-telephone inthe upper compartment, a hollow door providing a compart-l ment opening through one edge of the door hingedly mounted to the bottom of said body portion and adapted to be swung upwardly against the outer face of the body portion and beneath the shelf to close the lower compartment, a brace arranged between the body portion and the door to support the latter when open, yieldable means between the inner end of the brace and the body portion for absorbing shock incident to the opening of the door, and a panel mounted in the body beneath the shelf for enclosing the lower compartment of the body portion.

3. A telephone cabinet comprising an upright body portion having inner and outer spaced walls, a horizontal partition mounted in the body portion in spaced relation to the upper end thereof to provide upper and lower compartments, one of said side walls being cut away to form a pocket, a hollow door hingedly mounted to the bottom of said body portion and adapted to be swung upwardly against the outer face of the body portion and beneath the shelf` to close the lower compartment, a brace arranged between the body portion and the door to support the latter when open, yieldable means between the inner end of the brace and the body portion for absorbing shock incident to the opening of the door, said means comprising a face plate having a slot therein and secured over said pocket, a pivot pin extending through said slot and having the upper portion of the orizontal partition disposed intermediatesignature.

OSCAR J. LIN'DER. 

